To Freedom
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: "Alright." Fred glanced at the closed door of Slughorn's office, "Operation Escape from Hogwarts is officially at hand. Its Hogsmeade or bust my friend."


Written for the **Triwizard Tournament** (_Main Character_: Fred Weasley II, _Prompts_: (emotion) Jovial, (word) orange, _Plot bunny_: The character(s) escape from Hogwarts_, Assisting character_: Scorpius Malfoy)

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_Detention_.

Really he should stop being surprised that he ended up in these kinds of situation. After all, when your name is Fred Weasley (the second mind you, and he's quite proud of it), your record is bound to be thick with trouble you've caused – dung bombs in the girl's bathroom, raining charms in the Slytherin dorms, exploding pastries outside the Hufflepuff's door, newly dyed orange hair for Professor Slughorn. That last one he's quite proud of.

Oh the look on his Head of Houses face whenever his rapidly receding hair line had sprouted up in a bushy mess of vibrant orange. Oh yes, the detention was quite worth it. Especially since the Potions teacher had made the unwise move of leaving Fred's partner in crime in detention with him as well.

Fred glanced around the room in search of the said professor who was conducting this detention. As always, the man was locked away in his office, most likely still sleeping. Finding Slughorn nowhere in sight, the Weasley turned about in his chair and threw a crumbled ball of parchment at the blonde scribbling away a few rows back.

Scorpius looked up when the wad of parchment hit the top of his head. Liquid silver eyes narrowed in response. "I am trying to write my lines."

"Already got that covered." Fred leaned back in his chair, giving Scorpius a clear view of the self-writing quill that was hastily writing the line _I will not tamper with potiomn ingredients and bully my professors_. "The thing does it for me."

Scorpius frowned at his lines and then back at his friend. "You got one of those for me?"

"No." Fred said. "But you can have this page whenever it's done. I've already got a set of lines to turn in. Seven years here and I swear Sluggy makes me write the same lines each time."

Scorpius smirked. "I'm surprised he doesn't have them tattooed on your face by now."

"That doesn't sound like useful." Fred sighed. "After all, if it's on my face that does me no good. Can't see it after all. Lines are done."

Fred snatched up the parchment as the quill fell limp onto the table. He shook the page before holding it for his younger friend to see. Scorpius smirked as he rose and made his way forward. Taking the page, he admired the work. "Great forgery. You'd almost think I'd have written these."

"What are friends for?" Fred leaned back in his chair, hands intertwined behind his head. "Now what's next?"

Scorpius put the page down and sat on the edge of the table. He kicked his feet out and glanced around the room. "We've still got another two hours' worth of detention. Where is Slughorn anyways?"

"Don't know." Fred answered. "I think he's still asleep in his office."

"How much sleeping potion did you put in his tea?"

"Enough," Fred answered simply.

"So we just sit here than?" Scorpius asked with a frown. "Because I have better things to be doing."

"Like what?"

"I had a date," Scorpius said. "It's a Hogsmead weekend. I was supposed to meet Rose and spend the day with her."

"Who says you can't make that date?"

Scorpius chuckled. "I believe Slughorn did, whenever he assigned this detention. Or did you already forget why we are in this room?"

"Ah yes, my young friend," Fred leaned forward, smirking wickedly, "but good old Sluggy isn't here is he? What's to stop us from leaving?"

"You want to just get up and leave?" The prospect of this adventure sounded pleasing to Scorpius.

"Why not? We've done our lines, what else are we supposed to do with our time?"

"Reflect on our poor life choices," offered Scorpius.

"Not a chance." Fred rose to his feet, dusting off a bit of imaginary dirt from his shoulder. "If we haven't seen the errors of our ways yet, than I doubt this school can make us do so any time soon. So why punish ourselves and continue to waste a lovely day. After all, it was a harmless prank, no one was really hurt. So I believe that our time has been served, our debt to society repaid, and our freedom is close to hand."

Scorpius only shook his head. He leveled a gaze at the Weasley boy, one of humor and amusement. "Albus said not to get involved with you. I'm thinking he was right."

Fred put a hand to his chest, gasping as if offended. "Don't listen to that wash cloth. We are Slytherin, and Slytherin sticks together. Am I right, or am I right?"

"Is there a third option?"

Fred frowned. He reached out, slapping the younger boy across the back of his head. "Do you want to go snog your girlfriend or what?"

"Very much so." Scorpius perked up.

"Than do as I say young snake," Fred said, "and I shall get you to freedom."

Scorpius slide off the table. He saluted Fred, smiling all the while. "Yes, sir."

"Alright." Fred glanced at the closed door of Slughorn's office, "Operation Escape from Hogwarts is officially at hand. Its Hogsmeade or bust my friend."

Scorpius's gaze followed his friend who was already checking on their sleeping professor. Sighing, he followed. "What have gotten myself into?"

In truth, Operation Escape from Hogwarts sounded much more exciting in his head. Really once they got outside of the classroom, and away from the groundskeeper who seemed to know their detention schedule better than the boys did, there was nothing stopping them from their freedom. But Fred was going to make the most fun out of this that he could.

So with the collar of his shirt pulled up high, the boy snuck through the corridors. He moved carefully, crouching all the while, and taking great cause to not be spotted. Fred thought the whole ecstatic was well done, had it not been for his partner in crime who didn't seem to want to play along.

Scorpius was a few feet behind him, hands dug into his pockets and a carefree step in the sixteen year olds walk. "What are you doing?"

"Operation Escape from Hogwarts." Fred answered with an eye roll.

"We're just going down to Hogsmeade." Scorpius walked passed him. "No need to go all super spy here."

Fred threw his hands up in defeat. He stood fully. "What happened to all the enthusiasm?"

"Went away once we left the room." Scorpius shrugged. "Just walk normal you weirdo."

Fred lightly pushed his friend's shoulder. "You're taking all the fun out of this. You know this right, Malfoy?"

"Whatever, Weasley." Scorpius sent back a wiggle of the eyebrow. He couldn't speak further as the sound of footsteps were heard around the corner. The two boys sent one another looks of dread. Just by the footsteps alone they knew it was the groundskeeper coming their way.

Fred snatched Scorpius' elbow and drug him further down the hall. The two boys quickly came across a stone statue. Without waiting for the footsteps to get louder, Fred reached out and pushed the statue to the side. It shifted enough off the wall to expose the passageway. Both boys crowded in. The statue slide back into place and sealed them behind. Wands drawn, they cast a Lumos charm, and the stone passageway was filled with bright lights.

"That was close." Fred glanced back at the entrance. He could no longer hear the footsteps and took that as a good sign.

"Almost too close." Scorpius said. "This one takes us to Hogsmeade right?"

"I believe so." Fred sounded just confident enough to keep Scorpius from turning around and going back into the castle. "It'll take us somewhere at the least."

"Let's go then." Scorpius prompted. He stepped forward, keeping his wand light high.

The two boys made their way through the passageway joking and laughing the entire way. After a few minutes' walk they came to a heavy wooden door that lead upwards. Shoving it open, they climbed out only to discover themselves on the edge of the forest.

"Has this always been the exit?" Scorpius looked around, catching sight of Hogsmeade down the hill.

Fred let the door fall shut behind them. It closed with a click and seemed to melt into the mound it was built into. Fred was a bit impressed, but not enough to pay the door much more mind. He just pushed it off as another of Hogwarts wonders.

"I don't think so. I need to get my hand on that map. I don't really remember which passage leads where."

"That's a comforting thought." Scorpius muttered. A chill ran through him as a cold breeze cut around them. Scorpius shivered, realizing that he was still just in his slacks and sweater. "We should have grabbed our cloaks before coming."

"It's not that bad." Fred shrugged. He squinted off at the castle far in the distance. "We did it. We escaped. We are officially fugitives."

"Is it really an escape if we have to go back later?"

Fred pounded this before replying, "I am counting it. Now, we have at least another two, maybe three hours before old Sluggy wakes up. Might as well make good use of our time."

"You're sure Slughorn's going to still be asleep when we get back?" A moment of worry took to Scorpius at the prospect of getting caught.

"Most likely." Fred said, already making his way down the hill. "If not then we already know the perfect escape route."

Scorpius only frowned at his friend. After a moment he dug his hands into his pockets and made his way down the hill towards Hogsmeade.


End file.
